Qawwali, Kebabs & Chai: Take a Peek Into Thursday Nights at Nizamuddin Dargah

A quintessential Delhi experience is visiting the dargah in Nizamuddin. Every Thursday night, a crowd gathers to experience a series of powerful qawwali traditional tunes; songs that leave no listener untouched.

We started our journey to the dargah from one of three potential entrances. Upon entering the hustle and bustle of Nizamuddin’s narrow, winding lanes we were forced to stop, and back track multiple times as the smell of roasting kebabs turned us around. After a quick pit stop for chai and dropping off our shoes at the entrance to the dargah {mandatory, by the way}, we were ready to hear the vibrant tones of the qawwali songs.

Having been there before, but via a different path every time, we suggest you get there early to make finding the location easier. Once in Nizamuddin West, ask any kebab connoisseur, biryani salesmen, chai waala or flower marketer and they will point you in the direction of the dargah. Here’s a glimpse of how colourful it all is.

Be respectful of others’ space and remember to cover your heads before entering the dargah.

When: Thursdays, 6.30pm – 8pm {first session} and 8.45pm – 10pm {second session}

Note: The qawwali session may not happen on Diwali {Oct 19} but will take place on the subsequent Sunday i.e. Oct 22

Find out more here.